Tarik Black should be the starting C for the Lakers.

[ClipperRevival]

I love this guy. Listed at only 6'9" but has a freakish wing span of 7'3", which is more important. He's an explosive leaper and gives you quick, multiple jumps. He has very light feet, can slide laterally very well and is very coordinated. He can protect the rim and grab boards at a high rate. Sure, he'll be outsized against some C but he is a hard guy to move. He can run the floor and is a high motor guy.

I've seen enough of Upshaw to know that he is very stiff, has slow reflexes and bad coordination. Right now, going forward, Black should be our starting C. He can play a Tristan Thompson type role. Same type of quick, leaper off the ground.

Thoughts?

[Fallen Angel]

He's not that good, kid.

He started for the Houston Rockets and he was just as bad as Joey Dorsey.

[ClipperRevival]

He's not that good, kid.

He started for the Houston Rockets and he was just as bad as Joey Dorsey.

Rockets wanted to keep him but let him go to make room for Josh. But maybe I'm going a tad overboard but I seriously think he could be the better C over Hibbert or Upshaw against more fluid, quicker C.

I don't expect many, if anyone, to agree with me because my opinion goes against the grain but I gotta call it like I see it. I really like this guy.

[RidonKs]

i have no proof but i got the sense last season that both he and joey dorsey beefed up like crazy after dwight landed in houston. dorsey especially. (btw i like dorsey more than black, in response to the poster above).

tarik black is a terrible basketball player. he has worse hands than ben wallace. kobe is liable to murder him if he starts for the lakers.

you're right that he's a young athletic hard worker though, which shouldn't count for beans. there is a lot more laziness in the league than most of us would like to think.

[ClipperRevival]

i have no proof but i got the sense last season that both he and joey dorsey beefed up like crazy after dwight landed in houston. dorsey especially. (btw i like dorsey more than black, in response to the poster above).

tarik black is a terrible basketball player. he has worse hands than ben wallace. kobe is liable to murder him if he starts for the lakers.

you're right that he's a young athletic hard worker though, which shouldn't count for beans. there is a lot more laziness in the league than most of us would like to think.

I kind of let the fan boy in me get the best of me. He is probably too small to be the permanent starter at C but I do think he can be the starting C against smaller C. But I absolutely stand by my description of his game. The guy is an absolute keeper and will help this team out tremendously. Just watch.

[ClipperRevival]

And lol at me judging Upshaw after seeing him move around for a few minutes. But he is stiff and his coordination and reflexes are pretty slow but you can't teach size and length and he has it. Way too early to judge him. I'm letting my fanboyism judge guys too quickly. Just the excitement of the 1st Laker game I guess.

[RidonKs]

I kind of let the fan boy in me get the best of me. He is probably too small to be the permanent starter at C but I do think he can be the starting C against smaller C. But I absolutely stand by my description of his game. The guy is an absolute keeper and will help this team out tremendously. Just watch.

i will do that. i like against the grain judgments.

i don't see anything more out of his career than 15 reserve minutes on a middle of the pack squad tbh. honestly his lack of size is not particularly worrisome to me. at least he is long and athletic enough to contest.

but at the other end, he'll have no idea what he's doing. meaning it will take a very special roster to accommodate those liabilities.

[RidonKs]

whats the story behind fanboy laker talk from 'clippersrevival' dude?

[ClipperRevival]

i will do that. i like against the grain judgments.

i don't see anything more out of his career than 15 reserve minutes on a middle of the pack squad tbh. honestly his lack of size is not particularly worrisome to me. at least he is long and athletic enough to contest.

but at the other end, he'll have no idea what he's doing. meaning it will take a very special roster to accommodate those liabilities.

Nah, he's gonna be a good one. Long and quick leaper off the ground and gives you quick, multiple jumps and he's very coordinated and moves well laterally. His problem is just lack of height which means he can't anchor the middle but can give you blocks coming from the weakside. Tonight he had 13 boards.

[ClipperRevival]

whats the story behind fanboy laker talk from 'clippersrevival' dude?

Living in LA since 1982 so I root for all LA based teams. But Laker fan first and foremost.

[warriorfan]

for center standing reach is more important than wingspan, if you have a good wingspan you usually have a good standing reach however

[ClipperRevival]

for center standing reach is more important than wingspan, if you have a good wingspan you usually have a good standing reach however

True. He's at 8'11" while Upshaw is at 9'5". That's why I said he can get weakside blocks but can't anchor the middle, just not enough height.

[kells333]

Did roy hibbert die? Or am i missing something?

[ClipperRevival]

Did roy hibbert die? Or am i missing something?

I don't think he figures in our long term plan. I think he either gets traded midseason or we just let him walk after this year. Never liked him because he is just way too stiff and slow. He doesn't fit with this team. We have too many young legs who like to run, that's why I mentioned starting Black against certain C. He can run in transition and finish.

[ClipperRevival]

Before the season ends, he just might be the starting C. Against teams with legit bigs that are just too big, it might be better to go with Mosgov but given today's small ball lineups, that shouldn't be an issue in a lot of games. He is a more IMPACTFUL player than Mosgov. Even if he doesn't start, this guy is going to be a HUGE part of the Lakers going forward.